Plow.



PATENTED JAN. 2 1906.

W. CONNOR.

PLOW.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.13. 1905.

2 SHBETSSHEVET 1 PATENTED JAN. 2, 1906.

W. CONNOR.

PLOW.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.13,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

VV/TNEESES: 6,4 J

WALTER CONNOR, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

PLOW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1:) 6.

ipplication filed March 13, 1905. Serial No. 249,953.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER CONNOR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Flows; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked-thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates especially to the threewheel or tricycle type of plows, and has for its primary object the provision ona common beam of two plows adapted to be readily changed or adjusted to cause the furrowslice to be turned either to the right or the left, as desired, or both placed in inoperative position with respect to the machine.

A further object of my invention is the provision of improved means whereby both the rear furrow-wheel and the draft-line of the machine are caused to be automatically adjusted in horizontal position by and simultaneous with the adjusting of the plows to suit the requirements of the converted or changed positions thereof and to adapt the plows to take the same width of furrow-slice in both directions of their throw.

A further and very important object of my invention is the provision of a common axle for the two front wheels of the plow that is so shaped as to adapt it to be adjusted to place the axis of said wheels in the same horizontal plane when the plows are in raised or inoperative position or to throw the proper furrow-wheel down and the land-wheel up, thereby keeping the plow level and avoiding the objectionable feature of adjusting each wheel separately.

The invention is fully described in the fol-- lowing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine embodying my invention with the plows shown as being adjusted to cause the furrowslice to be turned to the right. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the rear furrow-wheel, showing its relative lateral position with respect to the plow-beam when the plows are in the positions shown in 'Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plandet ail of the draft adjusting means. Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken on the dotted line 00 a". in Fig. 2 and shown on slightly-enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the machine with the rear of theplow-beam and attached plows broken away, and Fig. 6 is a detail side elevation of a portion of the plowbeam and attached draft-adjusting mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, 1 1 represent the two front wheels of my invention, the same being mounted at the ends of the crooked shaft 2, which is shown in Fig. 1 and 5 as being adjusted so that the right-hand wheel is lowered to form the furrow-wheel and the left elevated to the proper height to form the land-wheel. The shaft 2 is especially designed to meet the requirements of adjustment of my machine and is formed .with a straight central portion having the bent portions 2 of the same length projecting from its ends in substantially a right angle thereto and in planes approximately forty-five degrees apart, as shown in Fig. 1, said portions 2" each terminating in a spin dle 2 Pivotally suspended from the central portion of the shaft 2 is the stirrup 3, which is adapted to receive and form a rigid support for the forward end of the plow-beam 4. The beam 4 has its central portion bowed upwardly and its rear end terminatingvin the horizontally-disposed cylindrical portion 4, on which the two plows 5 5 are rotatably mounted. The rear; end of the beam 4 is supported by the caster-wheel 6, which acts as the rear furrow-wheel and is secured to and made laterally adjustable with respect to the beam, as hereinafter described. The two plows 5 5 have their respective landsides 7 disposed at substantially a right angle to each other and rigidly connected at their upper ends by the upper and lower straps 8 and 8 which are oppositely bowed to form bearings for the reception of the shaft portion 4 of the beam 4, as shown in Fig. 4. The connected plows 5 are limited to a quarter-rotation on the shaft portions 4 by reason of the fixed pin 9 in said portions projecting within the notch 9 provided in the forward strap 8, said partial rotation being so adjusted that when the landside of one plow is in verticalposition the landside of the other is in horizontal position or in a plane intersecting that of the first.

Rotation in either direction of adjustment is imparted to the two plows 5 from the op erating-lever 10, which is fulcrumed to one side of the upwardly-bowed portion of the ICO beam 4 and connects with one of the plows adjacent to its axis through the medium of the rearwardly-projecting arm 10 and link 11. The plows 5 are adapted to have three positions of adjustment-namely, in either right or left operative positions or in inoperative positionwith each plow turned up an equal distance from the land, and are locked in one of these positions by reason of the hand-latch of the lever 10 cooperating with one of the three notches provided in the sector-plate 12, as shown in Fig. 6.

The caster-wheel 6 is carried by the fork 13, which has its upper end swiveled in any suitable manner to the rear end of the arm 14. The arm 14 has its forward end pivoted at 14 to the upper side of the beam portion 4. In order to adapt the caster-wheel 6 to be automatically adjusted to the right or left to follow in the furrow of the operative plow, I provide the under surface of the arm 14, at a point to the rear of its pivot, with a rack or series of transversely arranged teeth 15, which mesh with suitable sockets provided in the rear strap 3, connecting the landsides 7, or with a suitable sector-gear secured to and made turnable with the plows, thus causing the adjusting of the plows to impart the proper movement to the caster-wheel 6. The rear end of the beam 4 is caused to be supported by the caster-wheel 6 by reason of a stud 16, (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2,) projecting rearwardly from the end of the beam and operating within an elongated horizontally-disposed slot 17, provided in the vertical flange 18, which projects below and transversely of the arm 14, thus permit ting a lateral swinging movement of the caster-wheel with respect to the beam 4, but preventing independent vertical movement thereof.

19 is aclevis which is secured to the forward forked end of the beam 4. To effect a proper horizontal movement of the clevis 19 to cause the plows 5 to each take the same width of furrow-slice when changed to turn a right or left furrow, I connect the clevis to the operating-lever 10 in such manner as to cause a proper movement to be imparted thereto as the lever is thrown to change the position of the plows. To accomplish this, a pin 20 is mounted in suitable apertures provided in the spaced draft-arms 21, which are secured to the forward end of the beam, and the clevis 19 mounted thereon in a manner adapted to permit it to have a movement longitudinally of lts axis between said arms, whlch movement should be suflicient to enable the draft to be adjusted to the right or left to cause the plows to take the maximum width of furrowslice consistent with the size of the plows. The clevis 19 is connected to the lever 10 through the medium of the bell-crank lever 22 and connecting-rod 23, which latter has its rear end in engagement with the lever 10 adjacent to its fulcrum and its forward end engaged to the transversely-disposed arm of the bell-crank lever 22, as shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 6. The bell-crank lever 22 is fulcrumed to a stud or boss 24, projectinginwardly from one of the draft-arms 21, and has the end of its free arm rounded and projecting within a concavity 19 provided in the rear end of the clevis 19, whereby an oscillation of the bellcrank lever 22 causes a transverse movement of the clevis on the pin 20. To effect avertical adjustment of the line of draft, the clevis-pin 20 may be positioned in any of the verticallydisposed apertures 25 in the draft-arms 21, the bell-cranked lever 22 being of a width adapted to allow for such adjustment, as shown in F ig. 6. In order to permit of variations in the horizontal draft adjustment, the lever 10 is provided with a series of apertures 26, varying indistance from its fulcrum, as shown in Fig. 6, to which the rear end of the rod 23 may be engaged.

The proper adjustment of the axle 1 to place the front wheels 2 in a desired relative position is effected by means of the lever 27,

which is fulcrumed to one side of the beam 4, as shown, and has connection with the axle through the medium of the connecting-rod 28 and crank-arm 29, which latter is made rigid to the axle. A notchedv sector-plate 30 is secured to the beam 4 in concentric relation to the lever-fulcrum for coacting with the hand-latch of the lever 27 to retain the lever and associated parts in adjusted position.

A guiding-pole 31 is connected to the axle 1 through the medium of the connecting member 32, which has its diverging arms pivotally engaging the axle on either side of the stirrup 3. The pole is pivoted to the member 32 and adapted to have a limited oscillatory movement between the vertical flanges 32* at its forward end, thus preventing an oscillation of thepole, due to the wheels passing over rough ground, and also preventing an unsteady lateral movement of the horses from being communicated to the plow.

33 represents an ordinary form of knifecolter, which is secured in suitable manner to the beam 4 and severs the furrow-slice from the land in advance of the share of the operative plow. No adjustment of the colter is necessary to accommodate it to the changed position of the plows, as each plow when thrown into operative position is adapted to have its landside 7 in a common plane therewith.

An operators seat 34 is elevated above the plows by a supporting-bar 35, which has its lower end rigidly fixed to a portion of the beam 4.

The operation of my invention is as follows: To effect the proper rotary movement of the plows 5 on their axis 4 to turn them from inoperative position to a position adapted to turn a furrow to the right, the lever 10 plow to the proper draft. When the plows and attached parts have been thus adjusted, the lever 27 is moved in the proper direction to set the land-wheel and furrow-wheel in the desired relative positions to level the machine. When a furrow length has been traversed, the lever 27 is first operated to level the positions of the forward wheels 2 and the lever 10 then thrown back to its second position to cause the plows to be turned into inoperative position. As soon as the machine has had its position reversed with respect to the furrow the lever 10 is thrown back to the last notch in the sector-plate 12, thereby throwing the left-hand plow in position and moving the caster or rear furrow-wheel to the left to follow the furrows and the clevis 19 in proper position to cause said plow to take the same width of furrow-slice that the righthand plow took. The lever 27 is also operated to throw the front wheels in reverse positions to that in which they were on the up trip, as the wheel which was then the landwheel is now the furrow-wheel. As described above, a series of apertures 26 are provided in the lever 10 to permit the horizontal movement'of the clevis 19 to be adjusted to different drafts. This adjustment is only necessary when it is desired to take a furrow-slice wider than that for which the plow is normally gagedas, for instance, when it is de-' sired to take a furrow-slice for which both plows are normally set the rod is placed with its rear end in engagement with the aperture 26 disposed nearest the fulcrum of the lever 10, thereby preventing a movement of the clevis when said lever is operated. If, however, it is desired to take a furrow-slice of greater width than that for which the draft is normally set, the rod 23 is placed with its end in engagement with the proper aperture 26, thereby causing the draft of the machine to be automatically changed to suit the changed positions of the plows and cause tpem to each take the same width of furrows ice.

It is obvious that such changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction of the parts as fairly fall within the scope of my invention may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1, In a plow, a beam, forward supportingwheels and a caster-wheel for said beam, a pair of plows movably carried by said beam, means for moving either of the plows to operative position, and means for causing the caster-wheel to be automatically moved to the right or left as the plows are moved whereby it may follow in the furrow of the operative plow.

2. In a plow, a beam, forward and rear supporting-wheels therefor, a pair of connected plows carried in spaced position by said beam, means for adjusting the plows to turn a right or left furrow-slice, and means for causing a lateral movement of the rear supporting-wheel when the plows are adjusted wlhereby it is caused to follow the operative p 3. The combination with the beam of a tricycle-plow, of a pair of rigidly-spaced adjustable plows adapted to be moved to turn a right or left furrow-slice, a caster-wheel for supporting the rear end of said beam, and means operative by the adjustment of the plows for causing the caster-wheel to be moved laterally to follow the operative plow.

4. The combination with the beam of a plow, and a pair of connected plows movably carried thereby to permit of their adjustment to turn a right or left furrow-slice, of a casterwheel having an arm pivotally connected to the beam, and means operative by the ad justing of the plows for causing said casterwheel to be moved to the right or left to travel in the furrow of the operative plow.

5. The combination with the beam of a wheeled plow, of a pair of rigidly-connected plows having their landsides disposed in different planes and mounted to turn on said beam, a caster-wheel having its fork provided with an arm the free end of which is pivoted to a portion of the beam, means on said arm having engagement with a portion of said beam adapted to permit a lateral movement and prevent a vertical movement of the caster-wheel independent of the beam, and means on said arm having connection with the connection between the plows and adapted to cause the caster-wheel to swing in the direction the plows are turned when adjusted.

6. In a plow, a beam, two plows movably carried by said beam, a clevis secured to and movable transversely of the end of the beam, a bell-cranked lever pivoted to the beam and having one arm in engagement with the clevis, whereby a movement of the lever imparts a movement to the clevis, means for moving either plow into operative position, and connection between said lever and means for imparting an oscillatory movement to the lever as the means is moved to adjust the plows.

7. In a plow, a beam, two plows adj ustably carried by said beam, a clevis secured to and movable transversely of the beam, a bella plurality of plows, adjustably carried bythe beam, a casterwheel for supporting the rear end of said beam and adjustable to the right or left thereof by the adjustment of the plows, a lever for adjusting the plows, and a clevis movable by said lever to change the draft-line to suit the adjusted position of the plows.

9. In a plow, a beam, a laterally-adjustable caster-wheel for supporting the rear end of said beam, two rigidly-connected plows mounted to rotate on said beam and having connection with the caster-wheel adapted to cause it to move laterally to follow the operative plow when the plows are turned, an operating-lever having connection with the plows for imparting rotation thereto, and means movable by said lever for causing the draft-line of the machine to be changed to cause the plows when adjusted to each take the same width of furrow-slice.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER CONNOR.

Witnesses:

C. W. OWEN, CORNELL SOHREIBER. 

